Yes but—no matter how perfectly on principle you lead—if you turn around and nobody is there...you aren't really leading. You're wandering off by yourself. That's how I see perfectly principled but never winning parties.
We can not lead if we are too far out front of the population. Leadership is meeting people where they are and slowly but surely taking them in the right direction.
Arguably we haven't done well as well in fiscal areas and with border security...but in others I think it's amazing. Just look at the abortion polls now compared with 15 or 20 years ago.
"If you turn around and nobody is there...you aren't really leading. You're wandering off by yourself." Agreed. Look at what happened to Pat Bucahanan. He has wandered so far off he's on another planet. And yet somepeople continue to look to kooks like him as the alternative.
Third parties have traditionally been a joke in this country for a reason.